Former Windsor standout O'Connor to transfer to Colorado State

Feb. 9, 2013

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The combination of playing close to home and for a program he feels is on the upswing was enough to convince Joey O’Connor to transfer to CSU, he said Saturday.

In January, the 6-foot-4, 295-pound offensive lineman from Windsor High School decided he wanted to leave Ohio State. He asked for, and was granted, a release from his scholarship at Ohio State.

“When I decided I was going to transfer, I knew that coach (Jim) McElwain had a good thing going on at Colorado State,” O’Connor said. “I talked to them a little bit once I was released. I just knew that it was close to home and close to my support. It seemed like it was the right place to go.”

In his freshman season at Ohio State, O’Connor redshirted after undergoing knee surgery.

O’Connor remains in Columbus, Ohio, as he finishes out the semester. He is able to use the facilities to continue his workouts and rehabilitation of his knee. He said he is ahead of schedule with his rehab.

O’Connor will have three years of eligibility remaining after sitting out next season due to NCAA transfer rules.

When reached on Saturday, CSU football officials declined to comment, but during McElwain’s address to boosters during Wednesday’s signing day festivities McElwain did not use O’Connor’s name, but hinted Windsor residents in the audience will be happy with where one of CSU’s available scholarships will be going.

When McElwain was hired in December of 2012, he had brief contact with O’Connor as well as Windsor coach Chris Jones. O’Connor originally chose Penn State, but after the university’s child sex abuse scandal he decided to play for Urban Meyer at Ohio State. He has been watching the CSU the program from afar and likes what he sees from McElwain.

During his original recruitment, O’Connor had offers from Colorado State University and the University of Colorado. He was a four-star prospect, according to Rivals.com, and listed as the No. 2 prospect in Colorado and 102 in the nation.

He graduated from Windsor in 2012 after helping lead the Wizards to the 3A state championship in his senior season.

O’Connor said he will be relieved to return home to be near his family, but was full of praise for his coaches at Ohio State.

“I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity that they gave me to be a part of Ohio State and get to experience that,” O’Connor said. “Everybody here supports my decision and they completely understand.”